National Salvation Front (NSF) leader Mohamed ElBaradei accused the Muslim Brotherhood of eliminating other political powers in Egypt from the decision making process.

“They are putting up barriers, which is not helping,” he said, adding that although the Brotherhood previously showed a willingness to negotiate with the opposition, they went back on their agreement and decided to act independently.

The former director of the International Atomic Energy Agency and Noble Prize winner gave an interview to Reuters and the Associated Press about the current situation in Egypt.

ElBaradei focused on the $4.8bn loan Egypt hopes to obtain from theInternational Monetary Fund (IMF). “The loan is an essential step to economic recovery,” he said.

He added that the Egyptian government should seek a political settlement with the opposition in the interests of obtaining the loan.

“Success here depends on a political agreement, without an agreement there will be no stability and without stability the wheel of the economy will not turn. This will lead to angry, hungry people,” ElBaradei said.

Some opposition leaders, including former presidential candidate andNSF leader Hamdeen Sabahy, are against the loan. ElBaradei said that such a stance could change if the Brotherhood worked to obtain an agreement between political groups.

“If different political parties sat with the government and had an open, honest dialogue about the options we have, I don’t think it’s impossible that they could change their minds and accept the loan,” he added.

The NSF had previously stated three preconditions for dialogue with the presidency: the replacement of Prime Minister Hesham Qandil’s government, the appointment of an independent Prosecutor General, and a committee to draft a new election law.